Carrot packing machinery



Aug. .25, 1 942. w. DODGE CARROT PACKING MACHINERY Filed March 25, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Wes/eq (Dodge M ATTORNEY Aug. .25, 1942. w, DODGE CARROT PACKING MACHINERY Filed March 25, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEY mu mHf hmw Aug. 25, 1942.

W. DODGE CARROT PACKING MACHINERY 3 Sheet s-Sheet 3 Filed March 25, 1940 INVENTOR Wes/9y 000,98 /MJV E ATTORNEY 2 5 Patented Aug. 25, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CARROT PACKING MACHINERY Wesley Dodge, Oakland, Calif.

Application March 25, 1940, Serial No. 325,671

7 Claims.

This invention relates to machinery for the packing of carrots and like products. While the invention will be particularly described as employed in the packing of carrots, it is to be understood that it is useful in the packing of other vegetable and food products, and that carrots are mentioned here only by way of example and not by way of limitation.

In my previous United States LettersPatent Re. 21,144 of July 11, 1939, I have disclosed the advantage of packing a vegetable such as lettuce in a container for shipment and protecting the vegetable against bruising by ice and drowning by ice water. The advantages of this process apply also to carrots.

In accordance with this invention, the-carrots are relieved of a portion or all of their tops and are then graded as to size. Thereafter, the carrots are suitably packed in convenient small packages in which the carrots can be sold directly to the consumer. In accordance with this invention the carrots or other vegetables are packed in a bag or like container. Preferably, though not necessarily, the bags are made of a substantially waterproof moisture permeable material as vegetable parchment. Containers made of other suitable materials can be employed.

It is in general the broad object o! the present invention to provide a novel system for the barn dling and packing of carrots.

Another broad and general object of the invention is to provide machinery for the packaging of carrots to the end that they may be quickly weighed and packed in packages after removal of at least a portion of their tops.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a system for handling miferent sizes of carrots.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part hereof,

Figure 1 is a side view of the packing mechanism of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a section taken along line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an end chine.

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 55 of Figure 4.

view of the packing ma- Figure 6 is a section taken along the line 5-8 of Figure 3.

Briefly and concisely, the present invention includes means for delivering graded carrots to a packaging machine. This machine places a batch of carrots of a weight in excess of a predetermined value in a suitable bag or container. Delivery of the bag and its opening are coordinated with delivery of the batch. Upon deposit of the batch, the bag is released from the machine and another bag positioned.

In the preferred form of machine shown in the drawings, a suitable supporting frame is provided as at I2 mounted upon a suitable bed or base l3. The frame and bed are made up of suitable channel and angle irons bolted or welded together to provide the necessary support for the various machine units.

Mounted upon the top of the frame in a receiving position is a. weighing mechanism generally indicated at II. This includes areceiving hopper l6 pivotally supported at one end of a balance arm or lever ll pivotally mounted as at II on frame extension 32. The other end of the balance arm carries a suitable counterbalance weight l9 movable along a rod like portion 2| oi the balance arm.

An arm 28 is provided on the ring 22, the arm being pivotaliy connected by link 29 to an extension 3l on the supporting frame 32 for the balance beam ll so that a parallel linkage mech anism is provided as a guide for the weighing hopper.

The receiving hopper is made of a top portion in the form of a ring 22 on which is mounted for hinged movement a plurality of cooperating conical sections 23 hinged upon the ring 22 as by rods 25 secured to extensions 25 on each conical section, the rods being passed through and rotatable in ears 2! on the ring. The several conical sections are symmetrical and cooperate to form a cone shaped hopper which opens up to permit articles deposited therein to pass on through. The hopper is filled by hand or by any suitable discharge mechanism, preferably one discharging a weighed, sized batch of carrots. Mounted for a hinged movement on the ring 22 (Figures 1, 4 and 5) is a lever arm 36 notched to engage pin 31 on an extension 38 on one of the segments to retain the hopper segments closed. The lever 36 extends from the ring'to engage a fixed stop 39 carried on an upright ll on the frame l2 (Figure 5).

The hopper is movable between a raised and a lowered position. In its raised position the hopper receives the carrots or other vegetables to be weightedprior to discharging them into a bag.

In this position, lever 36 being engaged with stop of the discharge hopper.

39, the. several conical segments are held closed. The engagement of notched arm 35 with pin 81 looks the segments together so that contents of the hopper are retained until the hopper has descended into its lower or discharge position wherein arm 86 is released from engagement with stop 39. As the hopper moves into this position, lever 36 engages stop 43, also mounted on the upright M. In this position lever 36 is rocked and its connected segment is open. This opening movement of the segment is communicated to the other segments by suitable interconnecting levers indicated generally at 46 (see Figure 4)' carried on each of the rods 2%. Thus the opening movement of the segment carrying extension 88 is effective to open all the other segments and discharge the contents of the weighing hopper.

In Figure 1 I have indicated by dotted lines a suitably positioned bag 5! in place and opened to receive the hopper. The bags are delivered by a suitable bag delivery mechanism to be presently described in detail. As appears in Figure 1, the outermost bag is partially retained by I ears 52 which engage the sides of the bag and fingers 59 which retain only one end of the bag; the bag is cut away on one side adjacent the bag top so that the bag has a short side 50A and a long side 50-B which is engaged by fingers 53 (Figure 6) while the short side is free.

As the cone shaped weighing hopper descends into the open top of the bag to discharge its contents, the bag is pulled away from the retaining mechanism, spread apart and opened. Thereupon contents of the hopper drop into the bag forcefully, whereupon the bag drops through the frame onto a conveyor (not shown), which carries the filled bag away.

A supply of bags is carried between stops 52 and a slidably moun'tedbag engaging structure 59. The structure E i is mounted upon a carriage indicated generally at 55, slidable along frame members 56, under the tension of a spring 511 pulling on handle 58 on the carriage and extending from the carriage. The structure 5 3, as appears in Figure 2, is made up of a plurality of separate strips suitably secured together and mounted upon the carriage 55. A bag engaging means is provided on the structure 56, this means being generally indicated at 80. It includes means for forcing the top portion 50-B of the bag outwardly against the fingers 93, this means being in the form of bar SI hinged upon lever 62 which is in turn hinged on structure 54. The bar 8I includes an extension 83 thereon which depends downwardly for engagement with one end of the spring 6H. Spring 04 is positioned between an end of extension 83 and a rod 95 mounted upon the structure 56. Another spring 86 is positioned between the lever 62 and an adjustable screw El. lever, under the influence of the springs, is to force a positioned bag against the stops 52, and particularly to force the top portion 50-3 of each bag against the fingers 53 as each bag is successivelybrought into filling position so that the topof the bag can be opened suitably, as appears in Figure 1 for insertion of the cone like portion I Depending on the length of the uppermost set of fingers 53 and the length of the intermediate stops 52-, the first fold of the bag may be only partially released as is shown in Figure 1. If the fingers are shortened, practically the entire first bag fold may be re- The action of the bar and leased and the bag opened for nearly its full length.

with a hopper discharge operation. This means includes a source of power such as electric motor H mounted upon the frame and driving through a flexible drive means such as V belt 72, and a v belt pulley 13. The pulley in tum drives a pinion gear i5 which is mounted upon shaft l4 carried in suitable Journals on the frame. The pinion gear in turn drives a larger gear I6 mounted upon a shaft TI.- The gear 76 is secured to a ratchet l8 and these rotate together freely on the shaft ll when motor 'II is running. A driving connection is made between the ratchet i8 and the shaft by means of a pawl 19. This pawl is mounted upon an arm BI secured to the shaft by a suitable lock screw 82 engaging a fiat on .heshaft.

The engagement of the pawl with the ratchet is controlled by suitable means coordinating the bag delivery operation with the movement of the hopper between the discharge position and the receiving position. Rod extension 2i, when in hopper discharge position, engages a stop 03 on a slidably mounted rod 84. In the hopper receiving position the rod engages stop 86 also mounted upon the rod. Rod 84 is slidably mounted on the frame with one end thereof connected to a bell crank 91 mounted for a hinged movement on a portion of the frame. Also mounted upon the bell crank is a lever 88 biased to move in a.clockwise direction by a spring 89. The lever includes a notch 9! formed therein and adapted to receive a projection 92 on cooperatively adjacent lever 93. Lever 93 is also biased in a clockwise direction by spring 94 and is normally held against a pin 96 by the spring. Lever 99 projects upwardly and can engage a pin 98' carried upon the pawl 79.

With lever 88 in that position in which it appears in Figure 6, upon the hopper passing into its discharge position, the rod 84 is moved up-' wardly and bell crank 81 is rocked in a clockwise direction until notch 9| overrides and engages tooth 92 on the lever 93. When the rod 84 is moved downwardly, tooth 92 being engaged by notch 9i, upon return of the hopper to its receiving position, lever 88 pulls arm 93 in against the tension of spring 94 and into a position in which. it releases pawl I9 to engage the ratchet wheel 38. Engagement of the pawl with the continuously rotating gear and ratchet results in driving of the shaft i7 whereby the bag delivery and opening means are actuated. The arm 93 is held in its release position until pin 98 strikes it and releases arm 93 from retention by lever 9i, that is, after one complete operation of the bag opening means.

The means provided for opening the bag as it advances to filling position include a crank IN on the shaft H. A connecting rod I02 is extended between crank IM and a lever I03 supported on the frame at I04 for limited oscillatory motion. The end of the lever is forked as at I01 and in this forked end a roller I06 is movable as the shaft TI is selectively rotated. The function of roller I06 will be presently disclosed.

Means are provided for opening each bag as positioned. This means includes a bar H0 supported for movement by a roller III movable in the cam track II2 provided in a plate Ill depending from the frame. The other bar end is supported by a lever IIB mounted for limited oscillating movement on the frame as at Ill and connected to the bar as at Ill. It is to be noted that the cam track ll! includes a short vertical and a long horizontal portion substantially at 90 to each other. Roller I I I is mounted upon the bar Ill so that the crank is efiective to move the bar III as the roller moves in the horizontal and vertical portions of the cam track I. On the end of the bar is mounted a bag top engaging means indicated generally at Ill and comprising a thin narrow steel finger I22 which is so moved by conjoint action of lever Ill and cam'track III that the finger is efi'ectlvely first positioned over and above a bag. Thereafter the finger is dropped to within the bag and then retracted to pull one side of the bag open to that position in which it appears in Figure 1.

A spring strip I20 normally engages each bag top in its closed position. As the bag is drawn into open position upon retraction of the finger, this spring is moved into that position in which it appears in Figure 1, so that the bag end is retained between it and the finger I22 whereupon the hopper can drop into the open bag and without displacing the bag top. As the hopper drops, the several sections are opened and the contents are released into the bag which the hopper has just entered. The drop of the contents is sufficient to pull the bag out of engagement with fingers 52 and 53 and spring I20 and finger I22, whereupon it drops through an opening in the machine frame into a suitable receptacle therefor. i

I claim:

1. In a machine of the class described, a hopper so constituted as to discharge its contents in one position thereof, movable weighing means supporting said hopper for up and down movement from a first position into a second position upon discharge into said hopper of a charge weighing more than a predetermined amount, means for opening and positioning a container to receive a charge from said hopper in the second position thereof, means for gravitally discharging the contents of said hopper in said second position into said opened container, and means controlled by said movable weighing means for operating said container opening and positioning means when said hopper is in first position.

2. In a machine of the class described, a hopper so constituted as to discharge its contents in one position thereof, movable support means supporting said hopper for movement to and fro between an upper, first position and a lower, second position, means for discharging the contents of said hopper in its second position, counterbalance means effective to retain said hopper and said support means against movement from said first position until said hopper carries a charge weighing more than a predetermined amount, means for delivering a closed container and for opening the same when the hopper is in said first position, whereby to receive a charge from said hopper when said hopper is in said second position, and means operated by movement of said support, means between said first and second positions of said hopper for controlling operation oi said container delivery and opening means.

3. In a machine of the class described, a hopper so constructed as to be capable of opening for the discharge of its contents, a movable frame supporting said hopper and pivotally mounted for movement to and fro between an tains a charge weighing more than a predetermined amount, means for delivering and opening a container into a receiving position beneath said hopper while said frame is in said first position, means for opening said hopper to permit discharge of its contents into said container upon movement of said frame into said second position, and means controlling operation of said container delivery and opening means, and conditioned by movement of said movable frame from said first position toward said second position, to effect operation of said container delivery and opening means upon subsequent movement of said weighing frame from said second position toward said first position.

4. In a machine of the class described, a bag supply magazine, means for delivering a bag from said magazine and for opening a delivered bag at least partially, a hopper having an up and down movement into receiving and discharge positions, said movable hopper being so constituted as to discharge its contents in one position thereof, charge weighing mechanism movable with said hopper between its charge receiving and discharge positions upon deposit therein of a charge in excess of a predetermined weight, and means for operating said bag delivery and opening means upon movement of said movable hopper and weighing mechanism into charge receiving position.

5. In a machine of the class described, a bag supply magazine supporting a plurality of bags in a stacked, folded vertical position with the tops uppermost, means engaging that side of the foremost bag adjacent said stack for holding said bag, a spring pressing against the outside of said foremost bag, grip means for engaging the inside face of the outermost side of said foremost bag, means for moving said grip means to engage a bag and to open said bag against said spring, a hopper so constituted as to discharge its contents in one position thereof, a movably mounted frame supporting said hopper in opposed receiving and discharging positions, means for discharging said hopper in its latter position, counterweight means loading said frame and said hopper and retaining said hopper in charge receiving position until charging of the hopper with a weight in excess of a predetermined value whereupon the hopper moves from said charge receiving position into a discharge position and discharges into an open bag, and means controlled by movement of said frame into hopper charge receiving position to engage and open another bag.

6. In a machine of the class described, a prime mover operating substantially constantly during machine operation, a bag magazine in which a plurality of bags are placed in a side-by-side relationship, means for pulling one side of the outermost bag in said magazine away from the other side of said bag to open said bag at least partially and for retaining said one side in said partially open bag position, means for operating said pulling means from said prime mover including a clutch interposed between said prime mover and said pulling means, a hopper composed of parts movable to closed and open position for retention and release of a charge, respectively, a movable frame carrying said hopper and oscillatably supported tosmove upon place ment of a charge in said hopper in excess of a predetermined weight from a charge receiving position wherein the parts of said hopper are in closed position to a discharge position wherein such parts are in open position to discharge the hopper contents into said partially open bag, clutch engaging means normally held in clutch disengaged position, means for releasing said clutch engaging means to engage said clutch upon movement of said hopper in one direction between said positions, and means for conditioning said clutch releasing means upon movement of said hopper in the other direction between said positions to again release said clutch en- I gaging means upon movement of said hopper in said one direction. a

7. In a machine of the class described, a prime mover operating substantially constantly during machine operation, a bag magazine in which a plurality of bags are placed in a sideby-side relationship, means for pulling one side of the outermost bag in said magazine away from the other side of said bag to open said bag at least partially and for retaining said one side in said partially open bag position,

means for operating said pulling means from said prime mover including a clutch interposed between said prime mover and said pulling means, a hopper composed of parts movable to closed and open position for retention and release of a charge, respectively, a movable frame carrying said hopper and oscillatably supported to move 'upon placement of a charge in said hopper in excess of a predetermined weight from a charge receiving position wherein the parts of said hopper are in closed position to a discharge position wherein such parts are in open position to discharge the hopper contents into said partially open bag, clutch engaging means, a lever normally holding said clutch engaging means in clutch disengagement position, latch means movable when latched to move said lever to release said clutch engaging means to engage said. clutch, means carried by said clutch for moving said lever to disengage the clutch engaging means and break temporarily said latch means, and means for operating said latch means in accordance with movement of said frame.

WESLEY DODGE. 

